The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has taken a significant step to integrate pharmacists into the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). All registered pharmacists must now verify their profiles using the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number on the DIGI-PHARMed portal. This mandatory verification aims to link pharmacists to the Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR), ensuring a seamless and transparent healthcare system in India.
Why Is This Important?
The PCI’s directive ensures that pharmacists are part of the HPR, a central repository of healthcare professionals under the ABDM. This move is crucial for maintaining an accurate database of verified healthcare providers, improving patient trust, and streamlining healthcare services across India.
What Pharmacists Need to Do:
- Verify Profiles with ABHA Number:
All pharmacists must validate their DIGI-PHARMed profiles using their ABHA number. This process needs to be completed within 45 days from the issuance of the PCI circular. - Create an ABHA Number:
If pharmacists do not have an ABHA number, they must create one using their Aadhaar card before starting the verification process. - Ensure Documents Are Authentic:
All documents uploaded during registration on the DIGI-PHARMed portal must be authentic and validated. Any incorrect or fake documents will result in the pharmacist’s profile being blacklisted. - New Registrations:
For new registrations, pharmacists must validate their accounts with the ABHA number at the time of registration. Without this, their registration will be considered incomplete.
Impact on Pharmacy Institutions
Pharmacy institutions are also required to ensure that all faculty members verify their ABHA profiles. From the 2025-26 academic session, PCI will only accept ABHA-verified profiles for applications such as the Standard Inspection Format (SIF) and other academic references.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
- Pharmacists failing to verify their profiles within the specified timeline will have their DIGI-PHARMed profiles disabled.
- Incorrect or invalid document submissions will lead to the pharmacist being blacklisted from the system.
What Is the HPR?
The Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR) is a comprehensive database of registered healthcare providers from various systems of medicine, including:
- Modern Medicine
- Dentistry
- Ayurveda
- Unani
- Siddha
- Sowa-Rigpa
- Homeopathy
- Nurse Practitioners
This registry is part of the broader ABDM initiative, designed to create a unified and transparent healthcare ecosystem.
Why This Matters
The PCI’s push for ABHA verification will:
- Enhance transparency in the pharmacy sector.
- Ensure only verified pharmacists are authorized to practice.
- Build a robust healthcare system with verified professionals across all fields.
- Prevent unauthorized individuals from operating pharmacies, thus safeguarding public health.
Key Benefits of ABHA Integration
- Easy identification and verification of healthcare professionals.
- Better coordination among healthcare providers under the ABDM.
- Improved patient trust in registered pharmacists and institutions.
- Streamlined academic and professional processes for pharmacy institutions.
Conclusion
The PCI’s mandate for ABHA verification is a vital step toward creating a unified healthcare system under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Pharmacists and institutions must act promptly to comply with these new guidelines to avoid disruptions in their professional activities. This integration ensures transparency, trust, and efficiency, benefiting both healthcare providers and patients across India.
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